按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
bowing to you right across the house。〃
〃Look；〃 said Mme。 du Tillet to her sister； 〃they told us wrong。 See
how my husband fawns on M。 Nathan； and it is he who they declared was
trying to get him put in prison！〃
〃And men call us slanderers！〃 cried the Countess。 〃I will give him a
warning。〃
She rose； took the arm of Vandenesse； who was waiting in the passage；
and returned jubilant to her box； by and by she left the Opera and
ordered her carriage for the next morning before eight o'clock。
The next morning； by half…past eight； Marie had driven to the quai
Conti； stopping at the hotel du Mail on her way。 The carriage could
not enter the narrow rue de Nevers； but as Schmucke lived in a house
at the corner of the quai she was not obliged to walk up its muddy
pavement； but could jump from the step of her carriage to the broken
step of the dismal old house； mended like porter's crockery； with iron
rivets； and bulging out over the street in a way that was quite
alarming to pedestrians。 The old chapel…master lived on the fourth
floor； and enjoyed a fine view of the Seine from the pont Neuf to the
heights of Chaillot。
The good soul was so surprised when the countess's footman announced
the visit of his former scholar that in his stupefaction he let her
enter without going down to receive her。 Never did the countess
suspect or imagine such an existence as that which suddenly revealed
itself to her eyes； though she had long known Schmucke's contempt for
dress； and the little interest he held in the affairs of this world。
But who could have believed in such complete indifference； in the
utter laisser…aller of such a life？ Schmucke was a musical Diogenes；
and he felt no shame whatever in his untidiness； in fact； he was so
accustomed to it that he would probably have denied its existence。 The
incessant smoking of a stout German pipe had spread upon the ceiling
and over a wretched wall…paper； scratched and defaced by the cat； a
yellowish tinge。 The cat； a magnificently long…furred； fluffy animal；
the envy of all portresses； presided there like the mistress of the
house； grave and sedate； and without anxieties。 On the top of an
excellent Viennese piano he sat majestically； and cast upon the
countess； as she entered； that coldly gracious look which a woman；
surprised by the beauty of another woman； might have given。 He did not
move； and merely waved the two silver threads of his right whisker as
he turned his golden eyes on Schmucke。
The piano； decrepit on its legs； though made of good wood painted
black and gilded； was dirty； defaced； and scratched； and its keys；
worn like the teeth of old horses； were yellowed with the fuliginous
colors of the pipe。 On the desk； a little heap of ashes showed that
the night before Schmucke had bestrode the old instrument to some
musical Walhalla。 The floor； covered with dried mud； torn papers；
tobacco…dust； fragments indescribable； was like that of a boy's
school…room； unswept for a week； on which a mound of things
accumulate； half rags； half filth。
A more practised eye than that of the countess would have seen certain
other revelations of Schmucke's mode of life；chestnut…peels； apple…
parings； egg…shells dyed red in broken dishes smeared with sauer…
kraut。 This German detritus formed a carpet of dusty filth which
crackled under foot； joining company near the hearth with a mass of
cinders and ashes descending majestically from the fireplace； where
lay a block of coal； before which two slender twigs made a show of
burning。 On the chimney…piece was a mirror in a painted frame； adorned
with figures dancing a saraband； on one side hung the glorious pipe；
on the other was a Chinese jar in which the musician kept his tobacco。
Two arm…chairs bought at auction； a thin and rickety cot； a worm…eaten
bureau without a top； a maimed table on which lay the remains of a
frugal breakfast； made up a set of household belongings as plain as
those of an Indian wigwam。 A shaving…glass； suspended to the fastening
of a curtainless window； and surmounted by a rag striped by many
wipings of a razor； indicated the only sacrifices paid by Schmucke to
the Graces and society。 The cat； being the feebler and protected
partner； had rather the best of the establishment； he enjoyed the
comforts of an old sofa…cushion； near which could be seen a white
china cup and plate。 But what no pen can describe was the state into
which Schmucke； the cat； and the pipe； that existing trinity； had
reduced these articles。 The pipe had burned the table。 The cat and
Schmucke's head had greased the green Utrecht velvet of the two arm…
chairs and reduced it to a slimy texture。 If it had not been for the
cat's magnificent tail； which played a useful part in the household；
the uncovered places on the bureau and the piano would never have been
dusted。 In one corner of the room were a pile of shoes which need an
epic to describe them。 The top of the bureau and that of the piano
were encumbered by music…books with ragged backs and whitened corners；
through which the pasteboard showed its many layers。 Along the walls
the names and addresses of pupils written on scraps of paper were
stuck on by wafers；the number of wafers without paper indicating the
number of pupils no longer taught。 On the wall…papers were many
calculations written with chalk。 The bureau was decorated with beer…
mugs used the night before； their newness appearing very brilliant in
the midst of this rubbish of dirt and age。 Hygiene was represented by
a jug of water with a towel laid upon it； and a bit of common soap。
Two ancient hats hung to their respective nails； near which also hung
the self…same blue box…coat with three capes； in which the countess
had always seen Schmucke when he came to give his lessons。 On the
window…sill were three pots of flowers； German flowers； no doubt； and
near them a stout holly…wood stick。
Though Marie's sight and smell were disagreeably affected； Schmucke's
smile and glance disguised these abject miseries by rays of celestial
light which actually illuminated their smoky tones and vivified the
chaos。 The soul of this dear man； which saw and revealed so many
things divine； shone like the sun。 His laugh； so frank； so guileless
at seeing one of his Saint…Cecilias； shed sparkles of youth and gaiety
and innocence about him。 The treasures he poured from the inner to the
outer were like a mantle with which he covered his squalid life。 The
most supercilious parvenu would have felt it ignoble to care for the
frame in which this glorious old apostle of the musical religion lived
and moved and had his being。
〃Hey！ by what good luck do I see you here； dear Madame la comtesse？〃
he said。 〃Must I sing the canticle of Simeon at my age？〃 （This idea so
tickled him that he laughed immoderately。） 〃Truly I'm 'en bonne
fortune。'〃 （And again he laughed like a merry child。） 〃But； ah！〃 he
said； changing to melancholy； 〃you come for the music； and not for a
poor old man like me。 Yes； I know that； but come for what you will； I
am yours； you know； body and soul and all I have！〃
This was said in his unspeakable German accent； a rendition of which
we spare the reader。
He took the countess's hand； kissed it and left a tear there； for the
worthy soul was always on the morrow of her benefit。 Then he seized a
bit of chalk； jumped on a chair in front of the piano； and wrote upon
the wall in big letters； with the rapidity of a young man； 〃February
17th； 1835。〃 This pretty； artless action； done in such a passion of
gratitude； touched the countess to tears。
〃My sister will come too；〃 she said。
〃The other； too！ When？ when？ God grant it be before I die！〃
〃She will come to thank you for a great service I am now here to ask
of you。〃
〃Quick！ quick！ tell me what it is；〃 cried Schmucke。 〃What must I do？
go to the devil？〃
〃Nothing more than write the words 'Accepted for ten thousand francs；'
and sign your name on each of these papers；〃 she said； taking from her
muff four notes prepared for her by Nathan。
〃Hey！ that's soon done；〃 replied the German； with the docility of a
lamb； 〃only I'm sure I don't know where my pens and ink are Get away
from there； Meinherr Mirr！〃 he cried to the cat； which looked
composedly at him。 〃That's my cat；〃 he said； showing him to the
countess。 〃That's the poor animal that lives with poor Schmucke。
Hasn't he fine fur？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the countess。
〃Will you have him？〃 he cried。
〃How can you think of such a thing？〃 she answered。 〃Why； he's your
friend！〃
The cat； who hid the inkstand behind him； divined that Schmucke wanted
it； and jumped to the bed。
〃He's as mischievous as a monkey；〃 said Schmucke。 〃I call him Mirr in
honor of our great Hoffman of Berlin； whom I knew well。〃
The good man signed the papers with the innocence of a child who does
what his mother orders without question； so sure is he that